Dear Poirot,

It sounds as though you have reason to home school and have done a good job at it. I hope more of the home schoolers are like you.

Part of my prejudice against home schooling is that we have a business nearby that provides texts for home schooling. I visited them and looked at their texts. Most of them were from the US and seemed consistent with the views of the Tea Party in the US Republican Party. How did you select your texts?

Don't you like it that I am self sufficient and am independent and proud of that, Poirot?

David f.,

There are plenty of textbooks available written to conform to the Australian curriculum.

One of the things I find rewarding is watching my son react spontaneously and self-direct his own information gathering.

Example: a few weeks ago we learned of a severe weather warning from the bureau. Advice was to batten down hatches because it was supposed to be a once in five year storm. My son immediately took it upon himself to check out BOM's weather charts, and warnings. He then went to the State Emergency Service site to find out what preparations were recommended. He also filled a box with emergency provisions including radio with batteries, torch, thick gloves, non-perishable food, etc..and finally wrote it all up for a special report on his "news" (he produces a weekly news program for family and friends highlighting stuff that happens in our circle each week and distributed to the various households through youtube).

All this happened with me looking on from the kitchen bench making a cake...until I was roped in to film the "special report".

So he learned a whole lot in that episode and it was connected with his real-life experience. As you can see, textbooks aren't everything. It's valuable to have some continuity between what you're experiencing and what you're learning.

...........

imajulianutter,

Yes, I like that.

But for all that you've been through and all that you've learned, you appear quite resentful of everyone else.

I think a little compassion and humility may be the balm you're after.

Dear Poirot,

It sounds as though you are on the right track.

My mother was a teacher before she got married. This was in the era when a married woman had to quit teaching. Even though she was a qualified teacher I had no wish to be home schooled. My mother was crocked most of the time and was most unreasonable when she was crocked. I hated school, but it was better than home. I was expelled from kindergarten as a behaviour problem. It was due to my reaction to the reading readiness program. Mr. Carrot represented the letter i. Since I could already read I was bored silly and made a nuisance of myself. My mother was aware enough to get my IQ tested. It was quite high, and she went to the principal to get a special program for me. The principal looked at snot-nosed, tow-headed skinny me and intoned, "They must have made a mistake!"

One thing was very different from Australia. We public school kids looked down on the kids in private schools. In Syracuse, NY private schools were for slow learners, bad boys and girls and other problem children. The public school kids were the snobs. I remember my sixth grade teacher told us she had been to a private school. I felt sorry for her. She seemed quite normal, and I wondered why she hadn't gone to public school like a regular kid.

Oh yes Poirot

I am resentful that people like you refuse to debate whether schooling should be free or the resp[onsibility oif the parents.
I am resentful that people like you seem to think that the cost of education should just keep rising. ie that there is never any debate about the overall size of the education budget or whether that is justified.

Tell me why when times are tough, in private enterprise, costs are cut yet in the public sphere when times are tough spending is assumed to need to rise.

That Poirot sickens me. It is just one big con.

I also resent when I call on that debateto be held, no-one enters on the support side. I'm merely criticised for my attitude for holding my view. Where is our democracy: it's been trashed by the dogooders and PC idiots.

If you are serious why don't you argue my point rather than arrograntly endorsing the current unscruitinised fiasco and that what is occuring is in any way reasoned.

'But for all that you've been through and all that you've learned, you appear quite resentful of everyone else.

I think a little compassion and humility may be the balm you're after'

Why doesn't it surprise me that you can see adversity as only able to produce negativity.

You see Poirot after my difficulties I found I was much wealthier, healthier and wiser. I might add much more productive and contributing.

Your comment bears no relation to the debate I want to engage. You see how arrogrant is your current thinking.

Watch for my upcoming Novel. I might put you in it. lol